Rule-based playlist engine

A method of enabling a client to access hosted content, the method comprising:

• receiving a request from the client to access content residing on a host;
• identifying a rule set associated with a user that includes one or more rules configured to identify content responsive to a predicted interest of the user;
• providing the rule set to the client, the rule set configured to be used by a playlist engine on the client to render a sequence of one or more content selections in a playlist;
• loading, based on the playlist, the one or more content selections to a communications interface at an addressable location so that the client may access a specified content selection in the sequence of content selections by requesting the specified content selection accessible from the addressable location;
• enabling the user to directly access the specified content selection independent of whether a second content selection has been accessed in the sequence of one or more specified content selections;
• enabling the user to manipulate the sequence of content selections;
• and
• updating the rule set based on the manipulation, wherein updating the rule set comprises at least revising the rule set to:
• indicate a user aversion to a first content selection in the playlist if the user changes away from the first content selection prior to a conclusion of the first content selection, and indicate a user preference for a second content selection if the user skips at least one of the one or more content selections in the playlist to access the second content selection.

A system that enables a client device to access content, the system including a computer program on a computer readable medium and being structured and arranged to:

• generate a request to access content residing on a host;
• access a rule set associated with a user that includes one or more rules configured to identify content responsive to a predicted interest of the user;
• use the rule set to identify content selections from a library of content selections available on the host;
• identify, at the client and based on the identified content selections, at least a first address corresponding to a first content selection and a second address for a second content selection;
• access and render the first content selection from among the identified content selections;
• receive a change instruction with respect to the first content selection being rendered, the change instruction including at least one of an indication to change content before a conclusion of rendering the first content selection or an indication to skip one or more identified content selections.
• in response to receiving the change instruction, accessing the second content selection from the identified content selections at the second address;
• and
• updating the rule set to indicate a user aversion for the first content selection based on the received change instruction.

A system that enables a client to access hosted content, the system including a computer program on a computer readable medium and being structured and arranged to:

• receive a request from the client to access content residing on a host;
• identify a rule set associated with a user that includes one or more rules configured to identify content responsive to a predicted interest of the user;
• provide the rule set to the client, the rule set configured to be used by a playlist engine on the client to render a sequence of one or more content selections in a playlist;
• load, based on the playlist, the one or more content selections to a communications interface at an addressable location so that the client may access a specified content selection in the sequence of content selections by requesting the specified content selection accessible from the addressable location;
• enable the user to directly access the specified content selection independent of whether a second content selection has been accessed in the sequence of one or more content selections;
• enable the user to manipulate the sequence of content selections;
• and
• update the rule set based on the manipulation, wherein updating the rule set comprises at least revising the rule set to:
• indicate a user aversion to a first content selection in the playlist if the user changes away from the first content selection prior to a conclusion of the first content selection, and
• indicate a user preference for a second content selection if the user skips at least one of the one or more content selections in the playlist to access the second content selection.

A system that enables a client device to access content, the method comprising:

• means for generating a request to access content residing on a host;
• means for accessing a rule set associated with a user that includes one or more rules configured to identify content responsive to a predicted interest of the user;
• means for using the rule set to identify content selections from a library of content selections available on the host;
• means for identifying, at the client and based on the identified content selections, a first address corresponding to a first content selection and a second address for a second content selection;
• means for accessing and rendering the first content selection from among the identified content selections by establishing a connection to the host at the first address identified for the first content selection;
• means for receiving a change instruction with respect to the first content selection being rendered, the change instruction including at least one of an indication to change content before a conclusion of rendering the first content selection or an indication to skip one or more identified content selections;
• means for, in response to receiving the change instruction, accessing the second content selection from the identified content selections at the second address, and
• means for updating the rule set to indicate a user aversion for the first content selection based on the received change instruction.

A system that enables a client to access hosted content, the method comprising:

• means for receiving a request from the client to access content residing on a host;
• means for identifying a rule set associated with a user that includes one or more rules configured to identify content responsive to a predicted interest of the user;
• means for providing the rule set to the client, the rule set configured to be used by a playlist engine on the client to render a sequence of one or more content selections in a playlist;
• means for loading, based on the playlist, the one or more content selections to a communications interface to an addressable location so that the client may access a specified content selection in the sequence of content selections by requesting the specified content selection accessible from the addressable location;
• means for enabling the user to directly access the specified content selection independent of whether a second content selection has been accessed in the sequence of one or more content selections;
• means for enabling the user to manipulate the sequence of content selections;
• and
• means for updating the rule set based on the manipulation, wherein updating the rule set comprises at least revising the rule set to:
• indicate a user aversion to a first content selection in the playlist if the user changes away from the first content selection prior to a conclusion of the first content selection, and
• indicate a user preference for a second content selection if the user skips at least one of the one of the one or more content selections in the playlist to access the second content selection.